Shock-absorber axle bracket



.-c.'w. MEGGENHOFEN saocx ABsoRBR AXLE BRACKET lFiled ooe..

16', 1922 2 sneetssneer 1 July 22 1924. q 1502MB c. w. MEGGENHCFEN SHOCK ABSORBER AXLEBRACKET @70E/wy Patented July 22, 1924.

CHARLES W. MEGGENHOFEN, 0F NDIANAPO'LIS, INDIANA, ASSIGNOR TO ROBERT H.

' HASSLER, 0F INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA.

SHOCK-.ABSORBR AXLE IYBRACKET.

Application filed October 16, 1922.

To all whom 'it may concern.'

Be it known that-I, CHAnLns W. MEGGEN- HornN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Indianapolis, in the county of Marion and State of Indiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Shock-Absorber Axle Brackets, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates generally to improvements in shock absorbing devices for motor vehicles, and is more particularly directed to the provision of means for attaching the actuator of the device to vehicle axles. One of the principal objects of the invention is to improve the efficiency of the shock absorbers by means of the peculiar and novel form of connection to the axle. Another object of the invention is to provide means by which the same shock absorbing device may be attached to miscellaneous vehicle axles of different sizes and shapes and still retain the best working conditions for the device.

A further object of the invention is to provide means for mounting shock absorbers on vehicle axles having rounded or cylindrical shapes and which can be attached without the use of the usual pins or integrally formed projections upon the axle.

A still further object is to present a design of attaching means that can be ad- `iusted to the axle, circumferentially, to any position required, which naturally facilitates installation of shock absorbing mechanisms. y

Still a further object is to provide a shock absorber axle bracket that is capable of attachment to axles of a variety of diameters which occur at points where the shock absorber axle brackets must be attached.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists of the construction, combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter more fully described, claimed and illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which like ordinals or reference characters indicate like parts throughout the several figures, of which Figure 1 is a side elevation illustrating my device mounted on a section of a vehicle axle and operatively connected to a fragment of a vehicle chassis. Fig. 2 is a fragmentary plan view taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the device shown clamped on a section of Serial No. 594,951.

a cylindrical vehicle axle tube or housing. Fig. t is an end elevation thereof. Fig. 5 is a vertical longitudinal section of the bracket shown in the position to which it is originally formed, and illustrates the eyebolt cradle washer in place. Fig. 6 is a sectional view of the bracket taken on the line 6-6 in Fig. 3. Fig. 7 is a fragmentary view of the axle bracket taken on the line 7 7 in Fig. 5. Fig. 8 is a fragmentary sectional view of the bracket taken on the line 8 8 in Fig. 5. Fig. 9 is a plan view of the clamp stud, and Fig. 10 is a perspective view illustrating the filler plate.

Referring to the drawings, 9. is the vehicle frame member which embodies the usual channel shaped section. 3 is the main vehicle leaf spring which has its free ends attached to the frame, and has its intermediate portion connected to a section of a vehicle axle 5. 7 represents a well known type of shock absorber which uses circular'friction `disks as the dissipating elements and is shown mounted by means of the mounting bracket 9 to the web portion of the channel shaped frame 2. 11 is the shock absorber actuator arm which, when operatively connected to the axle, is oscillated in response to vibrations of the axle and frame elements. This oscillating of the arm causes the friction disks (not shown) to function, which results in the dissipating ofthe shocks and vibrations, and thereby prevents the usual tossing about of the occupants of the vehicle, which is usually caused from rough and uneven roads. 13 is a connecting rod of the ball and socket type which is interposed between the end of the actuator arm 11 and the axle element 5. The above described parts can be of any well known make or arrangement, and it must be understood that this particular construction is only adopted to clearly illustrate one of the applications to which my invention can be employed.

I will now describe my invention, of which 15 represents a bracket that is ordinarily formed with a straight portion 15a as shown in Fig. 5, that is capable of being easily bent without heating to iit the axle to which it is attached, and retain the shape to which it is bent. One end of the bracket is provided with a curved seat into which a cradle washer 17 is inserted. the washer having an aperture 17a which is so arranged that it will properly align Vwith a similar .aperture 15b in the 'bracket 5. 19 is an eye-bolt'which passes through the apertures 15b and 17, and contains Vthereon a nut 25 and a lock washer 28. The eye-bolt provided withv a kiattened portion 19a through which an aperture or eye 19b is formedVwhich affords a connecting means which is adapted to fasten the end of a clamp chain 21 by means of one ofthe round chain pins 22 which forms a pivotal attachment of the chain to the eyebolt. The chain 21 encircles the axle and engages pivotally with theaxle bracket 15 which is provided with two small recesses 1592-15d` which are located on depending` projections 155--15f respectively, the recesses'being adapted to receive one of the projecting'chain pins 22. LThe space between the projections 15e' and 15f is yof a predetermined 'dimensiom and is adapted to accommodate the insertion therein of the chain 21. The chain pins v22 are so designed as to extend out from the chain a" distance far enough to afford a bearing surface in the recesses y15C- 15d to withstand any pressure exerted. therethrough. 15g represents a connecting 'lug kto which the connecting rod 13 is secured by means of the interposed ball stud 29 and the nut 31. 15j and `15k repre.- sent ears which are adapted to receive the chainw21 and prevent the eye-bolt 19 from turning when nut 25 is being screwed into engagement as lthe chain 21 fits snugly between the ears 15j-15k similar to that illustrated in F ig. l where the chain is inserted between the'projections 15e and 15f.

In applying the clamp bracket to the axle, the bracket 15 must be first bent to conform to the radius or shape vof the axle at the point where the bracket will seat when tightened in place. The eye-bolt 19 is then inserted through the apertures 15b and 17a, after the cradle washer 17 has been' inserted in its proper place, rand the nut25 and lock washer I28 are then engaged respectively with the eye-bolt 19. The nut 25 is screwed but a short distance on the eye-bolt, when starting to attach the bracket, Yto the axle, which leaves a proportionately great amount of thread for adjusting or tightening the nut, as the eye-bolt 19 must loe drawn through the apertures until the lock washer 28 and the nut 25 strike the cradle washer 17. After the end of the chain 21 has been pivotally engagedor secured to the eye-bolt 19 means of the end pin 22, the chain Vis then pulled tightly around the axle tube 5 in order to ascertain which one of the pins 22 will engage most eiiiciently in the Vbottom -ofthe recesses 15-15d so that a tight grip can be effected on both the chain and axle bracket, when tightened in place by nut 25.

-the mechanism-in place, the lug 115g is given Ya 'proper "locationwith respect to the shock absorbing connecting mechanism lgto which it is to be secured.

It will be observed that the inner portion .of fthe ,prOjeCtQnS leflf isfcrmsd in @rsh a ,manner that only a slight tip, which lis indicated by the ordinal 15h, is brought lto bear againstthe axle tubing which, in effect, bites into the axle tubing, and aids the fric- -tion caused by the chain links 4bearing against the tubing, to prevent movement of the bracket upon the axle. The cradle'washer 17 is free to align itself parallel with the nut 25 as the radial seat upon which it bears, Vpermits pample flexibilityso that a direct-pull is at all times exertedy on the eye-bolt 19, which eliminates any `side strain or false-tension being-exerted 'on -various parts of the stud and bracket. Y

' The chain-21 can be made ofsuch alength that a large variety of axle diameters can be accommodated, inasmuch as any of the pins are capable of insertionI in the recesses 15 and '15" -which therefore will accommodate any Vrange of diameters of predetermined requirements.

Having thus describednmy invention, what Y clamping member for holding said baseI portion in rigid contact with the axle.r o

2. An axle-attaching means forshock yabsorbers comprising abracket, said bracket having a base portion, adapted to partially y 'encircle the axle, a flexible Vaxle-clamping member, means on one end of said base 4portion for ygripping said clamping member at a plurality of points'intermediate its length, and tightening means between the'end vof said clamping member and the otherre'nd of said Ybase portion. Y o

3. Axle-attaching'means for shock absorb- Aers comprising a bracket, said bracket having aQ-base portion adapted to partially encircle the axle, a'iexible axle-clamping rnember, means on'one end of said base portion for adjustably gripping said c-lamp'ingfmember, a bolt on'Y said clamping member for engaging in otherv end of saidfbase portion, anda nnt on 'said boltwhereby said clampinginernloe;` is Iadapted to be tightened for jholding said base po-rtion in rigid contact y:with the axle.

4'. Axle-attachingmeans for shock absorbers comprising a bracket, said bracket having abase portio-nradapted to partially encircle the axle, a 'ilexible` axle-clamping member, jawsV on oneend of said hase portion adapted to grip said clamping member'at -a plurality of points `interrrlediate its length,

an Vaperture provided lin the n a bolt on said clamping member for engaging in an aperture provided in the other end of said base portion, and a nut on said bolt whereby said clamping member is adapted to be tightened for holding said base portion in rigid contact with the axle.

5. Axle-attaching means orshock absorbers comprising a bracket, said bracket having a base portion adapted to partially encircle the axle, a flexible axle-clamping member, jaws on one end of said base portion for adjustably gripping said clamping member, a bolt on Said. clamping member for engaging in an aperture provided in the other end of said base portion, a nut on said bolt whereby said clamping member is adapted to be tightened for holding said base portion in rigid Contact with the axle, and jahre' on said base portion adjacent said aperture for non rotatably aligning Said clamping member with Said aperture.

6. An axle-attaching means for shock absorbers comprising a bracket, said bracket having a flexible base portion adapted to partially encircle the axle, a rl'lexible axleclamping member adjustably attached to said base portion, and means for tightening said clamping member for holding said base portion in rigid contact with the axle.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and seal at Indianapolis, Indiana, this fourth day of October, A. D., one thousand nine hundred and twenty-two.

CHARLES W. MEGGENHOFEN. [13. s.] 

